Yesterday, celebrated comic creator Stan Sakai and Dogu Publishing launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the publication of The Art of Stan Sakai. Best known for his acclaimed Usagi Yojimbo series and with a career spanning more than 40 years, Sakai is a beloved fixture in the comics industry. So it wasn’t a complete surprise that this project, which marked Sakai’s first-ever Kickstarter campaign, was already fully funded in 18 minutes!
As such, stretch goals have already been announced which you can see below along with the official press release for full details.
After a remarkable career spanning more than 40 years, Stan Sakai and Dogu Publishing are thrilled to announce the launch of a Kickstarter campaign to fund the publication of The Art of Stan Sakai.
A celebration of Sakai’s exceptional artistic legacy, The Art of Stan Sakai will offer fans, collectors, and art enthusiasts an opportunity to experience an extensive collection of work in a beautifully produced volume. Bringing together a poignant mix of current, vintage, and unseen Usagi Yojimbo art, illustrations of iconic characters from other publishers, personal work, along with in-depth commentary from Sakai himself, this project represents a special opportunity to preserve and showcase the creative vision of one of the most respected names in sequential storytelling.
Long admired for his distinctive style and contributions to comics, Stan Sakai has built a devoted following over the course of a four-decade career. Anticipation for this collection has been building among fans and collectors, making the campaign a particularly exciting opportunity to bring this sought-after book to print.
The 30-day Kickstarter campaign will officially launch on Tuesday, November 10th, offering backers the opportunity to secure a copy of The Art of Stan Sakai, order the brand new Sketchbook #18, collect hard-to-find backlist sketchbooks, purchase new art prints, and, for the most dedicated fans, the chance to own three original paintings by Stan Sakai.
“There have been a few Art of Usagi Yojimbo books in the past, but this is the first book that collects much of my non-Usagi art as well,” explained Sakai. “I was surprised at how much art I still had — even going back to high school and college. Some of the art has never been published, along with other pieces and characters from publishers with whom I am usually not associated. I’m looking forward to this collection, and I hope you are as well.”
With its combination of intentional design, unprecedented access to the artist’s archives, and archival quality printing, The Art of Stan Sakai is poised to become a standout addition to the collections of longtime admirers and new audiences alike.
For more information and to support the campaign, visit:
https://www.kickstarter.com/
